


The Hero Dies in this Scene

by I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own



Series: Apples and Ambrosia [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Immortal Alec Lightwood, but people have different definitions so..., depictions of violence, not exactly graphic, temporary major character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 15:58:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14835383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own/pseuds/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own
Summary: In which Aphrodite has seen far too much Torchwood, and Alec realizes he could die a thousand deaths so long as he wakes to Magnus at his side.





	The Hero Dies in this Scene

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Black Cat by Mayday Parade
> 
> This is set about a month after Alec has become Immortal.

  _When the night has come_  
_And the land is dark_  
_And the moon is the only light we see_  
_No, I won't be afraid_  
_Oh, I won't be afraid_  
_Just as long as you stand, stand by me_  
~Stand By Me, Florence + the Machine

* * *

_I’m going to be the shortest-lived immortal in history._ Is the thought that rushes through Alec’s mind as he shakes on a cold alley floor, voices taunting him, can't believe he was stupid enough to be caught off guard. Can't believe he didn't notice someone slipping something into his drink.

“They never should have named you Head of the Institute.” A voice snarls at him, he knows he recognizes the voice, but can’t place it. Can’t place any of the voices. Can barely keep himself conscious, can’t even find the focus to activate his runes, but can feel his _iratze_ burning on his side, of its own accord, for all the good it does.

“We thought it was just a phase, everyone goes through a phase where they think they love a Downworlder. But they always come to their senses in the end.”

“Yeah, unlike you. You’re not a Shadowhunter, you’re not even a Downworlder, and certainly not a mundane, who is gonna care if we fix your stupid mistake?”

“You scorned what the Angel gave you, spat in his face! After the gifts he gave you!”

“You never deserved to be a Shadowhunter, your whole family is a disgrace.”

Suddenly, he can’t even think as he feels a burning pain through his side, right through the _iratze_ , feels the way blood starts to soak into his clothing. The initial cut is followed by what seems like a thousand others, each accompanied with jeering words that Alec can’t even understand anymore as his consciousness wavers, the blackness lurking at the edge of his mind, threatening to engulf him.

“Alright, funs over.” A new voice yells, angry and vengeful. “We can do things the straightforward way, i.e. you leave immediately, or the hard way, where I’ll be lining your bodies up on the Institute lawn come morning.” Vaguely Alec recognizes the voice, the voice that does something funny to his chest, that makes his breathing spike.

Alec must give into the darkness for a few seconds, because the next thing he’s aware of is someone cradling him in their arms and calling his name, repeatedly, like a broken record. It’s as the darkness is rising to consume him again that he realizes, suddenly, who is holding him, who is saying his name like a desperate prayer, over and over again.

“Magnus.” He whispers and the darkness swallows him whole.

* * *

He wakes in an endless sea of blackness, but as he pushes himself to his feet, a light seems to appear in front of him illuminating a table and three chairs. He sighs and sinks down into one of them, as he does so, a young girl appears opposite him, she can’t be more than 10 years old, one side of her body is hale and whole, the other looks to be rotting away. Alec looks at her for the longest time before letting out a choked breath.

“Hel.”

“Yes, my darling. I had hoped it would be years yet before we met, but you can’t fight fate, I’m afraid.” Hel tells him, a pleasant smile on half her face, appearing as a grotesque grimace on the other. “Now, we’re waiting on one other.” He nods at her, but his attention is drawn away when a heartbroken cry seems to echo all around them, sounding vaguely familiar. Sounding vaguely like…

“Magnus!” he yells, pushing to his feet, but he feels a vice around his wrist, and he looks down, finds Hel’s good hand holding him firmly in place.

“Do not. He will be fine, we’ll send you back to him shortly. But there are rules to follow, Alexander.” He flinches at his name, but slowly sits back down at the table. “Good.”

 “You said you’ll send me back, am I not dead then?”      

“Oh, you’re most definitely dead, my dear.” A new voice says, Alec turns to find a beautiful young woman approaching, she’s dressed in a pastel pink sundress with flowers in her hair but trailing along at her feet appears to be what Magnus has described as a Hell Pup, though this one has three heads. Alec stares at the puppy for a long time, fascinated by how oddly cute the demonic little dog is, before he tears his eyes away to look at the newcomer, taking in her appearance, and his circumstances and coming to the only possible conclusion.

“Persephone.”  

“Got it in one, my boy.” She tells him, a happy smile on her face. “Of course, my husband should be the one here, but he and his siblings are once again fighting.” She says, rolling her eyes at Hel, who laughs.

“Aren’t the men of our kind always?” Hel asks, receiving an exasperated sigh from Persephone.

“Oh, you know it.” Hades’ queen replies, before glancing at Alec. “Now, Alexander, we’re just going to have a chat with you, and then we’re going to send you on back to your darling.” She tells him, as he flinches when yet another cry wrenches the air, this one forming his name.

“Now, darling, you’re immortal at your own request, and at our agreement. But you’re an interesting case. Personally, I think Aphrodite has been watching far too much Torchwood, but that’s neither here nor there. You can die, but you cannot stay dead.” Hel explains, watching Alec carefully as he tries to understand her words.

“What? You mean like… yo-you modeled my immortality on _Jack Harkness_?” he squeaks, trying and failing to keep the scepticism out of his voice.

“Oh, not us, darling. You petitioned Aphrodite and Freya, since you were acting out of love, and that’s entirely their sphere. They had to get our permission to give you your little gift, but once given, we had no further say in matters.” Persephone says, shrugging her shoulders. “Aphrodite thought it was fitting, do not ask me why, I do not understand how that woman’s head works.”

“Right.” Alec whispers, feeling totally out of his depth. He flinches again as another cry sounds around them. “Why am I here?”

“Oh, right, of course. Well, each time you die, you’ll come here, we’ll chat, probably about the things that led up to your death, and probably about how your immortal love life with Magnus is going, see who is winning the pools, and then when the Norns, and the Fates, are ready, we’ll throw you back.” Hel explains, smiling.

“The pools? Are you… betting on my love life?” Alec asks, indignant.

“Oh, your life in general. It’s been so long since either of our pantheons had Immortal God Spawn running around.” Persephone says, smiling happily. “You’ve already won me three favours so far.”

“Right.” Alec says, staring at the Queen of the Underworld like she’s mad. “Uhm, why can’t you just send me straight back?”

“Because, silly, the Norns, and the Fates, need time to weave you a new story. Your life ended, Alexander. Your thread was cut. Now, they weave you a new story, it doesn’t just happen like _that_.” Hel answers, snapping her fingers. “Would that life be that easy. Now, come on, give us the juicy details!”

So, Alec finds himself filling the two Goddesses in on his love life, and his otherwise immortal life with Magnus, until Persephone sighs heavily and holds up a hand, Alec stutters into silence.

“It’s time, my darling. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few centuries, best keep a diary.” She tells him, patting him on the shoulder, and then she and Hel are encasing him in their magic, and the darkness swallows him.

* * *

He wakes to the cool alley, with warm, strong arms still holding him tight, and a familiar voice sobbing his name. He tries to move, and gasps as hot fire burns through his entire body, the arms holding him tense and he hisses out a breath. Despite the pain, he pulls free of the arms holding him, and sits up, breathing through the agony tearing through him. He yanks his shirt up, and watches the wounds riddling his torso as they slowly knit themselves together, some of the blood sinking into his skin. His breaths coming in gasping waves. Warm arms wrap around him again, holding him tight.

“Alec.”

“I’m-I’m here, Magnus. I’m here. I’m alive. I’m okay.” He whispers, reaching up to hold Magnus’ wrist, squeezing it so, so tightly. “I’m alive.”

“How?” Magnus asks, and Alec lets out a hysterical little laugh.

“Aphrodite watched too much Torchwood.” Alec tells him, giggling.

“What?”

“Nothing. I can’t stay dead. So long as life exists, so too do I.” Alec says, remembering Floki’s text the morning he became immortal.

“But you can still die?” Magnus clarifies, and Alec gives a small, tired nod.

“Yeah, resurrection hurts like a bitch though, so I’m just gonna sleep it off, ‘kay?” Alec says, before passing out, falling heavily against Magnus.

* * *

When next he wakes, it is in the comfort of his and Magnus’ warm bed, held in Magnus’ comforting embrace. He smiles softly, and watches his lover sleeping. He decides it doesn’t matter how many times he dies, so long as he always wakes up to Magnus at his side. It is the last thing he thinks, before falling back into exhausted slumber.

* * *

_If the sky that we look upon,_  
_Should tumble and fall,_  
_Or the mountain should crumble to the sea._  
_I won't cry, I won't cry,_  
_No, I won't shed a tear._  
_Just as long as you stand, stand by me._  
~Stand By Me, Florence + The Machine

**Author's Note:**

> Also, headcanon, Alec only knows what Torchwood is because Magnus. They had a conversation, as you do, about which fictional characters they'd do and Magnus was like 'Captain Jack could hello me however many times he wants' and Alec was like 'who the fuck?' and got roped into watching Torchwood AND Old and New!Who because Magnus has been a stan for that from the start...
> 
> Also, God Spawn aren't covered by the Accords, I should probably have covered this somewhere in this fic or the last one, but I didn't because I'm dumb.


End file.
